"Miserable Monday" spells danger for local communities warns UNISON

UNISON, the UK’s leading public sector trade union, dubbed today “Miserable Monday”, after some of the largest cuts to council budgets in history were revealed in the Localism Bill. The union said that the scale of cuts spelled real danger for local communities. It warned that the increased freedom for local councils was simply a way for the government to push the burden of responsibility for making cuts onto councils. Heather Wakefield, UNISON Head of Local Government, said: “Today is “Miserable Monday” for councils, set to be hit with some of the largest budget cuts in history. This means a grim Christmas for thousands of council workers who are facing the prospect of losing their jobs next year. “Eric Pickles may talk about local authorities doing more with less, but the public should not be fooled; this is not possible. Cuts on this scale cannot be painless. Vital local services such as libraries and day centres, are already shutting their doors. Charges for others, such as home care for the elderly, and meals on wheels are on the up. After today’s announcement, this pattern will only gather pace. “The coalition is trying to rip the plaster off quickly, by front-loading the cuts. This spells real danger for services this year, and is a blatant attempt to get the pain out of the way long before the next election. But the scale of the cuts means that communities will be feeling the pain for years to come. “The new powers being given to councils may sound appealing, but they are simply a way for the government to wash its hands of taking tough decisions. Some services will be easy targets, with local authorities cherry picking only the easiest or cheapest services to provide. This will see local people who rely on difficult to provide, or expensive services, missing out on the support they need. “Meanwhile, the Bankers are still in line for their massive Christmas bonuses. Why are hardworking families paying the price for a recession they did not cause? There are real alternatives the government could and should have taken forward, that would have safeguarded jobs and recovery, and built a fairer future.”